FUNCTIONAL MRI OF COGNITIVE PROCESSES

描述（改编自申请人摘要）： 本申请中提出的研究是确定大脑激活 在特定的知觉运动认知任务的执行过程中， 通过高场强（4特斯拉）功能磁共振显示 成像（fMRI）。 将对健康的女性和男性进行研究。 各项工作任务 旨在测试一些高阶运动功能是如何 在大脑中表现出来。 这些功能包括预测性运动控制， 例如拦截移动目标，以及反映实际的任务，即 复杂的有目的的运动动作，如从视觉上复制图形， 模板，在迷宫中查找出口路线，并从 零部件 实现这些目标的潜力在于 由于fMRI提供的足够分辨率， 个别科目。 假设将被测试（a），每一个 上述任务涉及特定大脑区域的合作互动， (b)在这种激活模式中存在重叠，以及（c） 这种重叠对应于这些共享的公共功能核心， 任务 所获得的数据将使用传统的以及 现代多元统计技术，如层次树 分析. 所获得的结果有望提供新的见解 大脑如何处理动态视觉过程， 在患有结构性失用症的患者中感到不安。 最后 将检验一个一般假设，即两种性别在 上述任务背后的功能性大脑激活模式;如果 发现了显著差异，这些差异将被识别并导致 关于视觉空间的脑处理的新假设的产生 和视觉建设性的信息。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The overall goal of the research proposed in this application is to determine the brain activation patterns during performance of specific perceptual motor cognitive tasks, as revealed by high field strength (4 Tesla) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Healthy women and men will be studied. The tasks are designed to test hypothesis of how some higher order motor functions are represented in the brain. These functions include predictive motor control, such as intercepting a moving target, and tasks reflecting praxis, namely complex purposeful motor actions, such as copying figures from visual templates, finding exit routes in mazes, and constructing objects from component parts. The potential achievement of these objectives is within reach, due to the adequate resolution afforded by the fMRI even for individual subjects. The hypotheses will be tested (a) that each one of the tasks above involves the cooperative interaction of specific brain areas, (b) that there is an overlap in the pattern of this activation, and (c) that this overlap corresponds to the common functional core shared by these tasks. The data acquired will be analyzed using both traditional as well as modern multivariate statistical techniques, such as hierarchical tree analysis. The results to be obtained are expected to provide novel insights into how the brain deals with dynamic visuomotor processes that are commonly disturbed in patients suffering from constructional apraxia. Finally, the general hypothesis will be tested that two genders do not differ in the functional brain activation patterns underlying the tasks above; if significant differences are found, these will be identified and will lead to the generation of new hypotheses about the brain processing of visuo spatial and visuo constructive information by women and men.